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State ConnectALL round approaches; county broadband map shows 1,122 unserved addresses and ARPA pilot uptake low
Summary
Washington County staff briefed supervisors on the state ConnectALL grant areas and reported 1,122 addresses currently listed as unserved, noted a recent reduction from earlier counts and said an ARPA‑funded pilot to subsidize Starlink equipment has received limited uptake so far.
County staff updated supervisors on the New York State ConnectALL broadband funding process and the county’s ARPA‑funded pilot to subsidize fixed‑satellite equipment for unserved addresses.
The state’s ConnectALL program divides Washington County into four grant areas and will run a reverse auction for providers to bid to serve unserved locations; applications are due February 7 and award lists will be published in spring. The county’s most recent count from the state shows 1,122 locations labeled unserved; staff observed that number has dropped from earlier tallies (about 1,462 and higher in previous months). The change appears to reflect providers claiming certain locations as serviceable (for example via fixed wireless) and is reducing the pool of locations eligible for state grant funding, a dynamic staff said could make some areas harder to fund by fiber deployment.
Staff emphasized the state program prioritizes fiber but allows multi‑technology solutions and that providers must offer an affordability option (a $15‑per‑month service tier) to qualify for some subsidy layers. Committee members noted some incumbent providers may decline to bid where the affordability requirement and school‑lunch eligibility map make the economics less attractive.
Separately, the county sent ARPA‑funded letters to roughly 1,700 addresses previously identified as unserved, offering equipment reimbursement for fixed‑satellite service (Starlink) purchases; staff said 170 households had responded indicating interest so far and that a second outreach round may expand eligibility to driveways, businesses and other hard‑to‑reach addresses. The committee asked Broadband staff to continue outreach and to report back after the state posts award decisions.
